Fauxmance (Showmance #2)(94)

“Um, no, I don’t think so,” I said, dismissive, allowing my hair to fall across my face. Today I’d glammed myself up, wearing a bright red tea dress and more makeup than usual. I thought it might make me feel better, but so far it hadn’t really worked. Anyway, I guess it meant my resemblance to Elodie was a little more pronounced than usual.

He came closer, eyes moving over me keenly. “Are you sure? You seem so familiar.”

“You’re mistaken.”

A beat of silence fell, then, “Elodie? You’re Julian’s Elodie, aren’t you?” Warren smiled widely when it finally hit him.

I refused to make eye contact, feigning preoccupation with the handbags as I let out an irritable sigh. “What do you want, Warren?”

“You were a client of his. I knew that old friend story smelled false. What’s your kink? You like dressing up? Role play? Honestly, I don’t know why. You’re very pretty just as you are.”

“I don’t have a kink. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m trying to shop.”

He didn’t take the hint. “Have you and Julian parted ways?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. You know, I haven’t seen him around much lately. I thought maybe he’d found some lucky lady to settle down with, pop out a few kids.”

I made a hostile noise in the back of my throat. This bloke really didn’t know when to leave well alone.

“Then again,” Warren went on. “I don’t see that ever happening for Julian. Men like us, we don’t settle down. Love is a foreign concept. Julian likes to fool himself that he’s a romantic, but when it comes down to it, it’s sex that matters most.”

Even though I was trying my best to ignore him, his comment hit home. What if Julian was just fooling himself? What if the idea of a monogamous relationship was more appealing than the reality?

“If you’re in the market for someone new, I really would love to take you out,” Warren went on, his lascivious eyes slithering over me.

“No, thank you,” I said and moved to walk away.

“If you’re holding out for Julian, you’re wasting your time. I can’t count the number of women who’ve fallen for him. He left them with nothing but broken hearts. Don’t be one of those women, Elodie.”

I didn’t reply, too many pent-up emotions clogged my throat. He placed a business card down on the table where the handbags were displayed then sauntered off. Needless to say, I didn’t pick it up.

My encounter with Warren haunted me for the next two days. Every time I saw Julian, he had such expectancy in his eyes, waiting for my answer. I was too scared to give it to him. Warren had sown a seed of doubt that had spread roots deep in my psyche. Now I was questioning everything.

Three days after my encounter with Warren I was on set, texting with Nick. There was a break in filming and most people had gone to get food. I sat down on the chair next to Damon’s.

My brother had gone home to Torquay, and I always missed him when he left after a visit. Some days I felt like convincing him to move to London and live in my spare room, that way I wouldn’t feel so alone all the time.

My heart longed for Julian, pined for him, but I feared him pulling away. Going through that rejection again would be torture.

“I’m feeling a little down,” a voice said, and I looked up, frowning when there was nobody there. It took me a second to realise the voice came from the monitor in front of me. Damon and Julian were on the set of Sasha’s living room. Damon looked to be fiddling with the curtains, trying to fix the folds so that they were all even, while Julian lounged on the sofa, looking crestfallen.

“I thought you were enjoying the job,” Damon replied.

“I am, much more so than I expected but…” he trailed off.

“You’re having a hard time being around Ellen?” Damon guessed, and I sucked in a breath. I knew I shouldn’t be listening to this, but I was glued to the seat.

“Yes,” Julian went on. “She’s been distant. I laid my cards on the table for her, made it clear I wanted to try again. She said she needed time, but that was three days ago.”

Damon scoffed. “Three days is hardly a lifetime.”

“It is when you love someone.”

Time stood still. Had I just heard him correctly? My body filled with a thousand tiny butterflies flapping their incessant wings. For a second, it felt like my heart ceased beating. Like the world had been flipped on its axis. Hearing Julian say he loved me so casually, like he’d known it for a long time, set my entire being alight. A thrilling rush of adrenaline raced through me.

Damon shook his head. “You obviously don’t see what I see.”

Julian perked up. “What do you see?”

“That the woman is head over heels for you.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“Believe what you want, but I’m telling the truth.”

Julian went quiet, thoughtful. “I’m so in love with her, Damon, but I think I screwed everything up by breaking things off. I’m not sure she can forgive me for that. Maybe she shouldn’t.”

I stared at the screen, took in Julian’s beautiful, sad face, and all I wanted to do was run to him, take him in my arms, and kiss all his pain away. All of a sudden, Warren’s poisonous words had no meaning. They were nothing, not when I could see the stark, honest yearning radiating from Julian’s very being.